Dec 28, 2010

The local Green Party is looking for a mayoral candidate - and it's opening the application process to all city residents. The Green Party of Monroe County will be interviewing interested residents who are willing to run for the party's values, which include grassroots democracy, ecological wisdom, and social justice. This came after the City Council's denied residents a primary election. Co-Chair of the local Green Party, Vinessa Buckland, claims that this decision silences voters. She adds that Rochester would benefit from a mayor who values public participation.

Buckland says if residents become more involved in the political process, policies will reflect people's best interests in a greater capacity. "Behind closed door deals is not how the Green party operates and I think a very transparent and open government with public input, a lot of public input is very important. It's going benefit everyone. I mean the values of the Green Party are based on citizen participation. We understand that people, we all understand that we're affected by policy and I think that people don't realize that that power is supposed to rest with them." . . .